How to disable formatting and Copilot in Notepad on Windows 11

Although Microsoft is actively integrating Copilot AI into many of its products, not all users want to use these features. For office applications, AI can assist in content creation, text summarization, or increased productivity. However, for Notepad, the addition of Copilot and text formatting features is not really necessary for many users.

If you only use Notepad for quick notes, editing source code, or working with plain text, these new features sometimes just make the interface more complicated. In that case, you can simply turn off formatting and Copilot to return Notepad to its simpler experience.

How to turn off formatting in Notepad

Step 1:

In the Notepad interface, click the gear icon in the upper right corner.

Step 2:

To access Notepad's settings, scroll down to the Text Formatting section and simply turn off Formatting .

A message like the one below will then appear; select "Turn off" to disable formatting in Notepad.

How to disable Copilot in Notepad on Windows 11

Step 1:

In the Notepad application interface, users click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the interface.

Step 2:

In the new settings interface, users select the "Copilot" option at the bottom and then slide the circular button to the left to turn off this feature.

At that point, the Copilot option will no longer be available in Notepad. To use Copilot again, simply reactivate it in the application settings. Note that you need to log in with your Microsoft account on Windows 11 to use Copilot.

Reasons why you should turn off Formatting and Copilot in Notepad

1. Maintain the functionality of Notepad.

Notepad is known as a simple text editor that only supports plain text. The application lacks features like bold, italics, strikethrough, or link insertion, making it fast, lightweight, and very suitable for taking notes or editing source code.

While Notepad supports text formatting, content copied to other applications may sometimes carry unwanted formatting. If you need to create documents with rich formatting such as tables, headings, or links, software like Microsoft Word would be a more suitable choice.

2. Save on AI usage costs.

To fully utilize Copilot's features in Notepad, users need a Copilot Pro subscription or a Microsoft 365 plan with integrated AI.

Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans only offer a limited number of AI credits each month. If you use it frequently, you may need to upgrade to higher-tier plans at a significant cost. Therefore, if you don't need AI, disabling Copilot will help avoid unnecessary expenses.

3. Protecting privacy

Copilot's AI features primarily operate on a cloud computing platform. This means that the content you type into Notepad can be sent to Microsoft's servers for AI processing.

For those who frequently work with important documents, internal data, or personal information, this can be a significant consideration. Disabling Copilot will help limit the amount of data sent to the cloud and provide greater peace of mind during use.

4. Reduce workplace distractions.

If you only need Notepad for quick note-taking or simple text file editing, AI suggestions can sometimes be unhelpful and even disrupt your workflow.

Disabling Copilot results in a cleaner interface, reduces unnecessary elements, and provides a familiar experience similar to previous versions of Notepad.

5. Helps Notepad run faster.

One of Notepad's biggest advantages is its fast startup speed and very low resource consumption. However, with the addition of AI features and text formatting, the application becomes more complex than originally intended.

If you disable Formatting and Copilot, Notepad will revert to its role as a simple text editor, operating smoothly, consuming minimal system resources, and suitable for those who only need a quick text editing tool.